Why Calories Count

From Science to Politics

Calories--too few or too many--are the source of health problems affecting billions of people in today's globalized world. Although calories are essential to human health and survival, they cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. They are also hard to understand. In Why Calories Count, Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim explain in clear and accessible language what calories are and how they work, both biologically and politically. As they take readers through the issues that are fundamental to our understanding of diet and food, weight gain, loss, and obesity, Nestle and Nesheim sort through a great d.

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In their fascinating tribute to the humble Calorie, Drs. Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim explain why so many have misunderstood, dismissed and underestimated the unit over the years.

Drawing on exhaustive research, "Why Calories Count: From Science to Politics" unpacks the history, biochemistry, politics, law, policy, and sociology behind nutrition science. The book brings the Calorie out of the clinical setting and discusses it within the context of the present "eat more" food environment, an ever-growing food industry dependent on profit, and rival "diet tribes" that have more in common than they may think.

In addition to sharp analyses of several well-known large studies on calories, weight gain, and weight loss, Nestle and Nesheim encourage their readers to "get political" when it comes to food choices in order to build a healthier environment.

"Why Calories Count" clearly defines the various layers that encompass nutrition and serves as an authoritative resource on how to navigate the science and politics that affect it.